


Baby Mine

by Chef_Geekier



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Supernatural
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-03
Updated: 2012-08-03
Packaged: 2017-11-11 08:18:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 10,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/476510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chef_Geekier/pseuds/Chef_Geekier
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Gabriel is tasked with caring for a child, he immediately knows that this isn't a good idea. So he instead sends the kid to someone he knows is mature and responsible enough – Castiel. This can only end in tears.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Castiel."

The angel in question looked up at Uriel, raising an eyebrow. He had been listening to a conversation between the Winchesters and hoping to learn more about how they interacted when his superior appeared next to him.

"Gabriel has contacted Heaven. He wishes to meet with you at a hotel in New York City."

"Me?" Castiel asked, surprised, even as he stood to leave. "Did he say why?"

"No. Said that we could send as many angels as we wanted, as long as you were one of them."

"Very well," Castiel nodded, and the two angels disappeared.

They reappeared seconds later outside of a hotel room, where two others were already waiting. Uriel immediately took control of the situation.

"Is he inside?"

"We saw him enter earlier, but we don't know for sure," the female responded.

"Very well. Let's go."

The next instant the four were standing inside the room – which held a conspicuous lack of archangel-turned-trickster. There was, however, a young boy no more than a year old, asleep inside a playpen. Taped to the outside was an envelope with Castiel's name on it.

"Where is he?" Uriel hissed.

"Apparently, not here," Castiel spoke softly as he removed a letter from the envelope and started reading.

 

_Hi little brother!_

_By now I'm sure you've noticed that I've pulled one over on our other siblings. Again. Seriously, they don't even pose much of a challenge any more. Good thing the humans are so versatile or I'd be bored._

_The kid is Teddy Lupin. His family are dead, and his godfather can't take care of him. Too many issues of his own to risk having a kid around. Add in the fact that the kid's parents were a werewolf and a metamorphmagus… no one else would take the kid. So the godfather asked me to take care of him, but as has been noted before (several times by you), I'm not much more than an overgrown kid myself._

_So I thought, who's the most mature person I know? Someone responsible, someone who'll keep the kid safe from the evils that still chase his godfather? And then it came to me._

_You._

_So I'm leaving him in your care. I'm sure you'll make a great dad to the little one._

_Best of luck,_

_Gabriel_

 

Castiel turned to look at the young child again. He still slept, even with the presence of the angels around him. Carefully, Castiel leant over and picked up the boy, not really sure of what he was doing.

"Castiel, what's going on?" Uriel demanded angrily. Castiel looked back blankly for a moment before responding.

"I just became a father."

-BM-

"Cas!" Dean shouted, angry at the lack of angelic guidance the last several days. "Cas, get your feathery butt down here!"

"Dean," the angel spoke softly, causing Dean to spin around. He opened his mouth to tear into the angel, before spotting what he was holding.

"Dude…" he was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Yes?" Castiel tilted his head slightly, waiting for Dean to get to the point.

"You're holding a baby," the hunter deadpanned. "Why are you holding a baby?"

"Because his godfather entrusted him to an angel who is not known for his good decisions. He passed Teddy on to me. I shall be raising him."

"Oh… okay…" Dean was thoroughly confused by now. "You're a dad?"

"Apparently."

"Okay then." It took a few minutes before Dean's mind would work again. "I guess that's what you've been doing the past few days?"

"Yes," Castiel nodded. "I had not realised that children need such supervision."

"Just wait til he's walking," Dean muttered. "They get into everything."

"I shall keep that in mind."

The two stared at each other for a little longer, before Castiel gently shifted the bundle in his arms a little.

"Was there something you wanted, Dean?"

"Uh, yeah, about that…" Dean trailed off. He couldn't for the life of him remember what it was he'd been calling the angel for. "I… I got nothing. You go back to caring for the midget, I'll talk to you later."

"As you wish," Castiel nodded and disappeared, leaving a very confused hunter behind.

"Castiel's got a kid… Huh. Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd say."


	2. Don't You Cry

Castiel had appeared behind the Winchesters. They knew this because their ears were suddenly assaulted by a screaming infant.

"What the hell?" Sam spun around, taken off guard by the sudden noise in Bobby's previously silent house.

"Dean," Castiel nodded, and the brothers noticed that he looked a little frazzled – something they'd never seen before. "I require your assistance."

"Uh, sure. Whattaya need?" Dean spoke loudly to cover the sound of young Teddy.

"How do I make him stop?" Castiel was nearly pleading with Dean, and both hunters had to stifle a chuckle. The angel was clearly out of his depth dealing with a human child, not really knowing how to hold him.

"Well, let's see," Dean thought back, trying to remember when Sam was that small. He'd thought it would be difficult, but he'd taken care of his little brother for so long that it was ingrained him his memory. "Run through the list. Is he hungry?"

"I have fed him. Gabriel gave me instructions on how to create a bottle."

"Good. Is his… uh, is his diaper full?"

"He is taking up all available room in the diaper, yes," Castiel looked confused. Dean snorted, then made a straight face again.

"Sorry. I meant has he, uh… Sam, technical terms please?"

"Urinated or defecated, I believe."

"Oh," Castiel blinked. "No, he has not… filled his diaper."

"How long's it been since he slept?"

"He woke ten minutes ago. He slept for several hours before that."

"Huh," Dean glanced over at Sam. "Well, I guess he could be lonely. Or bored. He's what, a year old?"

"One year, one month, five days."

"…uh, yeah," the brothers again shared a glance at Castiel's matter-of-fact tone. Dean shook his head and continued. "He needs more than just food and sleep. Kids need attention and love."

"I keep him with me most times. What more does he need?"

"Well, do you play with him?" Sam asked, finally joining the conversation. "Talk to him?"

"Why would I talk to him? He cannot respond."

"No, but it'll help him to learn how to talk. And you gotta help him figure out how to walk. And sooner or later, use the toilet and eat proper food. Cas… raising a kid is a big deal. Are you sure you want to do this?" Sam looked concerned, shooting glances between the slightly quieter child and the still uncomfortable angel.

"My brother asked me to care for the child. He needs a family, and I am on my way to being cast out from mine. So I shall raise him and give him what he needs, but I need your help to do it properly." The brothers stilled at the quiet conviction in Castiel's voice, then realised that Teddy had calmed as well. All three looked at the boy, who was now gurgling slightly and trying to hold on to the edge of Castiel's trench coat.

"Well, there's your answer," Dean supplied. "Talk to him. He seems to like the sound of your voice."

"What do I say to him?" Castiel looked up again, still confused. Dean shrugged, while Sam smiled.

"Tell him stories. Sing to him. Anything really, as long as he can tell that you're near and not leaving him alone."

"Very well."

With that, the angel and boy disappeared, leaving Sam and Dean to shake their heads and go back to reading.

"Hey Dean?" Sam asked after a moment.

"What?"

"When did we become surrogate brothers to an angel?"

"When the angel became a daddy. Read."


	3. Baby Mine, Dry Your Eyes

Dean watched as Castiel sat cross-legged on the floor. A few feet away, Teddy was standing shakily, holding on to the side of the bed, and looking like he was about to walk. It was a sweet scene, one that could happen between any father and son.

What held Dean's interest the most, though, was the fact that Castiel was showing signs of emotion. It was all over the angel's face, subtle but clear – he loved the little child. And in that moment, it clicked for Dean – something that had been bugging him for a few days now.

-BM-

Dean saw from the corner of his eye as Castiel watched his last moments with Anna. Emotions were flickering across the angel's face, too fast for him to register what they were. The one that kept coming back, though, he finally recognised. Regret. Cas didn't want to do this.

It was enough to give him hope that their insane plan might actually work.

"Okay," Anna sounded so confident as she turned to face Castiel and Uriel. "No more tricks. No more running. I'm ready."

"I'm sorry," Castiel told her, and now the regret was plain on his face.

"No. You're…" Anna suddenly trailed off, looking between her former brothers. "Wait, you are. You're not," she glanced at Uriel, before her eyes found Castiel again. "But you are. You… you're feeling." She slowly moved towards him and laid a hand on his face, eyes wide in wonder. "You're falling…"

-BM-

The demons had shown up then, and in the chaos that followed, Anna's comment had been forgotten. Dean had smacked Alistair over the head with a crowbar – which had felt really good – and Anna had stolen her Grace back from Uriel. Since then, Castiel hadn't gone back to… wherever it was that the angels went. Instead he briefly disappeared to collect Teddy, then stayed with the Winchesters.

Dean was brought back to the present by a wail from Teddy, who had fallen over. Cas hadn't quite been quick enough to catch him, and the little boy had bumped his knees. His angelic father scooped him up before his head hit the floor, and held him close for a moment.

"Hush, little one. You're all right. No need to cry." The low voice was soothing even for Dean, and quickly the toddler stopped sniffling and instead wriggled out of Castiel's grasp in an attempt to stand again. "That's my boy."

_"You're falling…"_

Dean remembered Anna's words then. Sam and Bobby had done a lot of research into angels in the last few months, and one of the things they'd found was that angels could fall if they started to care too much for humans. And looking at the love on Castiel's face for his son… Dean knew that their angel wasn't going to have his Grace for much longer, not if he kept being a father.

"Don't worry, Dean," Castiel spoke then, and Dean was startled out of his thoughts. "I don't mind if I fall. As long as I have Teddy." He gave a short laugh, surprising the hunter. "I always was better at following my big brother than my commander."

And with that, Teddy fell into his father's arms after taking his first successful steps.


	4. Rest Your Head Close To My Heart

"Come on, Teddy," Castiel caught the running toddler around the middle and swung him up into a hug. "You're built for getting in trouble, aren't you?"

The young boy giggled, then grabbed Castiel's tie and started chewing on it.

"Little beast."

"Castiel!" Uriel's voice came from behind him, sounding furious. Castiel rolled his eyes at Teddy, who giggled again, then turned to look at his superior.

"Is there something you wanted?"

"Other than you getting rid of the child?" Uriel glared at the infant, turning away when Castiel tightened his grip protectively. "There is a seal about to be broken. If you want to keep your wings, I suggest you help to prevent it."

Castiel paused, eyeing Uriel for a moment, before nodding.

"Very well. I'll be back shortly."

With that, he disappeared before Uriel could protest, reappearing in Bobby Singer's kitchen – much to the Hunter's annoyance.

"Would it kill you to use the door?" Bobby growled, though his expression softened a little at the sight of the giggling toddler.

"No," Castiel looked a little confused. "I just don't see the point. I'd have to go through all the tests you can think of to prove who I am. It saves time if I appear wherever you are."

"Right," Bobby rolled his eyes and turned back to his lunch. "Whattaya want, anyway? The boys ain't here."

"I know. My presence is required to prevent another seal from breaking. I cannot bring Teddy with me, and he seems… disinclined to sleep."

"You want me to play babysitter," was the deadpan response.

"Yes. The other angels are not fond of Teddy. I believe he will be safer here, behind your wards."

"Fine. Give the runt here," Bobby held out his arms, and collected the toddler. "You'd best not be long. I ain't as young as I used to be. Running around after kids is not how I wanna spend my time these days."

"Understood."

With that, Bobby and Teddy were left alone. At first the toddler didn't seem to notice, being far more interested in trying to reach Bobby's hat. He eventually managed to steal it and turned to wave it at Castiel – who was no longer there. Bobby stiffened as he saw Teddy's lower lip tremble, and the large amber eyes start filling with tears.

"Aw, Hell," he cursed, then set about trying to calm the child. "Damnit, kid's already got abandonment issues. C'mon runt, let's go outside and have a look at that car. See if that distracts you."

-BM-

Six hours later, Bobby was ready to tear his hair out. While Teddy hadn't descended into all-out tantrums at the lack of his father, he had become very clingy and couldn't be put down. Whenever Bobby tried to get him to take a nap or just crawl about on the floor for a bit, the toddler started to whimper and fret, which the old Hunter couldn't stand. So his relief at the sudden reappearance of Castiel was nearly overwhelming.

"Bobby, thank you for watching him," the angel said as he accepted Teddy back. The toddler in question gurgled happily and set about chewing on his father's tie again.

"Sure thing," Bobby couldn't help but look over Castiel. The angel had several cuts and bruises, looking as though he'd been in a serious fight. "You uh, need a hand with anything?"

"Actually," Castiel swayed a little on his feet, "do you mind if I lie down for a bit? I probably shouldn't try moving too far for a little while."

"Couch is in there," Bobby pointed towards his living room. "Knock yourself out."

It was a few minutes later that Bobby remembered who he was talking to, and hurried into the room to check that the angel hadn't literally knocked himself unconscious.

Instead, he smiled at the sight in front of him. Castiel was lying on his back, with Teddy curled up on his chest, the toddler's head over the angel's heart. Both had their eyes closed, apparently sleeping – and the visible injuries were already healing. Even as Bobby watched, a cut across Castiel's cheek closed without leaving so much as a scar.

Nodding to himself, Bobby turned and closed the door. It was time for him to get some sleep too – looking after the child had been exhausting. And, unlike when Sam was that young, there was no older brother to help out. As that thought struck him, Bobby glanced up at a photo of the young Winchester brothers he kept on the wall. The two were curled up asleep together, with a much younger Rummsfield curled around them. Those were simpler times…

With a faint smirk, Bobby quietly retrieved his camera and went back to the living room. After all, he'd need proof to show the boys that he'd had an angel asleep on his couch.


	5. Never To Part, Baby Of Mine

"Castiel, get rid of that filthy thing!"

Castiel glared at Uriel as Teddy started to whimper and picked up the child. He'd started to clash with the other angels over his attachment to the boy who'd become his son – whilst Uriel was the biggest opponent to keeping Teddy, the rest of the garrison wasn't keen on keeping a human child around either.

It was getting to the point where Castiel was starting to lose his abilities. He knew what was happening – he was becoming human, becoming cut off from Heaven. The only problem was that he had always done as Gabriel had asked, and now his heart was beating for Teddy. It was confusing for him.

Looking down, Castiel turned and left the others, still holding Teddy close. He really didn't know what to do anymore.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Teddy?"

"Park!"

So instead of doing anything productive, Castiel obeyed his son's request and teleported the pair of them to a local playground. Once there, he deposited the child in the sandpit and sat on the edge, watching. Whilst Teddy was generally a good kid, he was at an age where he'd try to chew an anything, and it was possible he'd wander off without constant supervision.

Castiel sent up a prayer to his father, as he watched his son, pleading for guidance. He'd always followed orders, but ever since taking in Teddy, he'd had to start thinking for himself – something all angels had difficulty with.

"You shouldn't worry so much," a cheerful voice came from behind him. "You'll give your vessel wrinkles."

Looking up sharply, Castiel watched as his big brother sat down on the grass close by. Though it had been several years since he last saw the older angel – nearly 700 years – he instantly recognised him. It didn't hurt that he was munching on a candy bar – even as an archangel, Gabriel had always had a sweet tooth.

"Gabriel," Castiel choked out. "I… why did you do this to me?"

Gabriel looked at his little brother for a moment, before realising what was happening. Sighing, he reached out and pulled Castiel across and onto his lap, gaining some odd looks from nearby adults but not paying them any heed. He wrapped his arms around the younger angel, though he let out a huff at the size difference.

"Look, bro, this isn't the disaster you think it is. If you were mortal, I'd probably be putting you through some hilarious and degrading alternate reality to make you see how much you care about Teddy, but since you're you… I'll let you off with this." He promptly smacked Castiel upside the head, earning a scandalised look.

"It's simple, Castiel," Gabriel grinned back. "Our Father isn't gonna toss you on your rear for loving your son. Let's face it, if He hasn't ripped out my Grace for pretending to be a Norse god, He won't punish you."

"But it feels like I'm falling," Castiel muttered as he rested his head against Gabriel's shoulder. "Why does it feel like this if I'm not being punished?"

"Because one of our other brothers is being a dick?" Gabriel suggested. "My guess is Michael. Always was a bit of a prick."

"Gabriel!" Castiel jerked back in shock. The long absence had led him to forget that his older brother wasn't shy about saying what he thought.

"What? It's the truth," his fellow angel was grinning cheekily. "Our big brother can be a jerk when he thinks things aren't going according to plan."

"Maybe… I just don't want Teddy picking up on your language. He's learning quickly," Castiel shifted uncomfortably. He'd never been the most demonstrative of angels, and the fact that he was still curled up on Gabriel's lap spoke volumes about how distressed he still felt.

"Prick!"

Castiel let out a sigh when Gabriel threw back his head in laughter. Unnoticed, Teddy had toddled over to see what was wrong with his father, and now stood next to the pair of angels, grinning happily at the new word.

"What did I tell you," Castiel glared at his older brother, who was threatening to fall back onto the ground. It took a minute before Gabriel calmed himself enough to look between the father and son. Castiel waited a beat, then sighed again and reached out his arm to draw Teddy to him.

"Hey, do you mind?" Gabriel glared a little. "I'm not a chair. And I know you're my little brother, but seriously – you just had to choose a vessel bigger than me."

"I figured he would be better than his daughter," Castiel muttered, finally shifting off of Gabriel's lap to sit next to him on the grass.

"True," Gabriel nodded. The pair sat for a few minutes, watching as Teddy sat heavily and started playing with the grass.

"Like I said," the archangel returned to a previous topic of conversation, "God isn't going to punish you. You might want to head back up and duke it out with Mikey at some point though. For now, I'd recommend not leaving Teddy alone. You two are good for each other."

"Agreed," Castiel nodded as they watched the boy started to yawn, then wandered over to his father.

"Sleepy," Teddy crawled onto Castiel's lap and cuddled into the trench coat, quickly falling asleep. Castiel gently stroked his hair, smiling a little, and not minding much when Gabriel clicked his fingers and disappeared.

"Come on, Teddy," Castiel stood and walked away from the park, knowing he could fly if he wanted but content to just wander for a while.


	6. Little One, When You Play

"Bobby!"

"Hey Runt, Feathers," Bobby nodded at Teddy, who was smiling at him from Castiel's grip. It was now standard for the angel's appearance to be announced by Teddy greeting people. His vocabulary was still rather limited, but he was learning names fairly quickly.

"Bobby," Castiel nodded. "I trust all is well here?"

"Sure. You need a babysitter again?" Bobby set aside the book he'd been reading, surprising himself with his eagerness to see Teddy again. He figured it had something to do with having the Winchester boys around so often in their childhood.

"Not exactly," the angel said, suddenly looking uncomfortable. "I just… need to speak with someone capable of complete sentences. Someone who's not another angel."

Bobby paused for a moment, then grinned.

"Ah, I gotcha. Most single parents feel like that from time to time. Give the tyke here," the grizzled hunter scooped Teddy into his own embrace, accepting that the kid immediately tried to steal his cap. "Now, let's get you settled somewhere. You got any toys for him?" He directed the last question at Castiel, who held out a stuffed toy wolf, which was missing an eye.

"He enjoys playing with this. I believe it is the repressed werewolf genes."

"Werewolf genes?" Bobby was suddenly still, which gave Teddy the opportunity to nab his cap and put it on his own head. "The kid's a werewolf?" That would certainly explain why Castiel was raising him instead of his parents.

"Not exactly," Castiel tilted his head slightly. "His father was a European werewolf. It's unusual – normally when werewolf and metamorphmagus genes are mixed, a shape-shifter is created. This time, however, he merely gained a few benefits without becoming a skin-shedding monster."

"Uh huh," Bobby said dryly, putting Teddy down. The kid stood up and took his toy, before climbing underneath the desk and starting to play. It appeared to be a game with no sense whatsoever, though that could have just been because one of the participants was a hat. "And just what is a metamorphmagus?"

"A mage born with the ability to change their appearance. It doesn't often happen outside of Europe."

"I see." Heading into the kitchen, Bobby snagged his coffee mug for a refill. "So normally Teddy would've been a monster, but for some reason he's not?"

"Yes. Though it's rare enough for a werewolf to have a child with anyone other than another werewolf, so there's no real standard."

"And what benefits were you talking about before?" That was the part that had Bobby worried the most. The thought that Teddy wasn't human, might turn into something else, was more disturbing than he'd like to admit.

"Slightly heightened strength and senses," Castiel shrugged. "I've already noticed that his hair and eyes sometimes change colour. Though in all, he'll mostly just pass for a slightly odd human."

"Right," Bobby glanced back to where Teddy had put his cap on, and was hugging the stuffed wolf close. "Slightly odd. Well, that's one way of describing him." He paused, considering, then turned back to Castiel. "How old is he again?"

"One year, four months, sixteen days," Castiel promptly replied. It had already unnerved the Winchesters how he knew exactly how old Teddy was.

"Hmm. He's pretty far along for a kid that young. You giving him anything extra to speed development?"

"My older brother suggested I give him this," Castiel dug a bar of chocolate from his pocket. "Apparently it is good for children."

Bobby gave him a Look, which was unfortunately lost on the angel as he had no idea what it was he'd done wrong.

"Chocolate is not good for kids. Not large amounts, anyway. How much are you giving him?"

"Two bars a day. Is that too much?" Castiel looked genuinely confused, and Bobby had to close his eyes in a grimace.

"Two bars… your brother's an idiot if he really thinks it's good for kids. You're lucky you ain't dealing with a permanent sugar rush from the runt."

"Oh. But he likes it, and it does seem to help him grow."

There was another pause as both angel and hunter watched Teddy climb to his feet and walk towards them. He was much steadier now, and again Bobby noticed that he shouldn't be so adept just yet. Then again, it was better than him being under-developed.

"I dunno," Bobby sighed, watching as Castiel unwrapped the chocolate and gave it to his son. "Maybe it's good for werewolves or something. Not like I'm an expert on them."

"Apparently his father believed that chocolate cures anything," Castiel murmured, and Bobby noticed that his voice tightened a little at acknowledging that another man was Teddy's biological father. "Perhaps it is part of their physiology, that chocolate is a necessary part of the werewolf diet."

"Possibly," Bobby said. The two watched as Teddy started munching away, soon with melted chocolate on his hands, face, clothes, and somehow, his hair. "That kid can make a mess with anything."

"Yes," Castiel agreed. "It is a skill."


	7. Don't You Mind What They Say

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some violence in this one. "On The Head of a Pin" went much differently in this 'verse.

"There once was a tiger-striped cat. He died a thousand deaths and was reborn a thousand times, and was owned by a thousand people he never cared for."

"Dude," Dean whispered as he and Sam paused outside of the door to their motel room. "What's Cas on? And where can I get some?"

Sam shrugged back and opened the door, to see Castiel sitting on one of the beds, leaning against the headboard with legs laid out on the covers in front of him. Teddy was sitting next to him, half curled into his father's coat, Castiel's arm around him as he spoke.

"One day, the tiger-striped cat was born a free cat, a stray cat. He met a white cat, and the two spent their days together."

The weirdest thing wasn't the story Castiel was telling. It was the fact that Uriel lay on the floor in the middle of the room, eyes open and lifeless. There was a sword sticking out of his chest, and both Castiel and Teddy were staring at the apparently dead angel.

"The two cats grew old together, and on the day the white cat died, the tiger-striped cat cried a thousand tears, then lay down to die. He was never reborn again."

Sam and Dean shared a look, then edged around the corpse to approach the still alive angel. Castiel had fallen silent, eyes slightly vacant, and Teddy was playing with the angel's hand. The brothers tried to think of a way to approach the question delicately, before Dean decided to just come out with it.

"Dude… what the Hell?"

"Dean," Sam hissed, then tried to smile at Castiel. "Hey, Cas, can you tell us what happened?"

"Bad," Teddy piped up, sending a fierce glare at the dead Uriel. Well, as fierce as an eighteen-month-old could get. Which was actually fairly scary, given his natural werewolf genes.

"Uriel was bad?" Sam asked, seeing that Castiel was still a little out of it.

"Not like that's anything new," Dean smirked. "Guy's a di…" he trailed off, glancing at the child, before shaking himself. "Well, he's never been nice."

"Cas," Sam tried again. "Talk to us. What happened?"

"He threatened Teddy," Castiel finally spoke, drawing all eyes to him. "He said too much, and knew I wouldn't join him. So he threatened Teddy. So I killed him."

-BM-

"Castiel, this is necessary! Our brothers and sisters are dying around us, do you want this to continue?"

"No, Uriel, I don't. But this isn't the way. You cannot ask Dean Winchester to torture for you."

"It's the only way! We need the information, and we can't get it from him any other way."

"No. Not like this."

"Castiel, you're too attached! You're so close to that damned child-"

"Don't talk about Teddy like that."

"You see?" Uriel spat, turning away in anger. "You care about the humans more than your orders! These insignificant, disgusting, primitive-"

"Uriel! You would do well to remember the love our Father has for humans."

"A love that should have been ours!"

There was silence after that, certain things falling into place in Castiel's mind, and the younger angel looked up in fury.

"You… you want this to happen," Castiel growled, eyes narrowed. "You want the Apocalypse to happen."

"It needs to happen," Uriel was obviously trying to regain control of the conversation, without much luck.

"No, it doesn't. The Apocalypse would destroy this planet, destroy our Father's creations. Now tell me – what else have you done? What do you know that you're keeping secret?"

"Castiel, if you don't join me in bringing on the Apocalypse,"

"What, you'll kill me?" Castiel let out a laugh, surprising both angels. "Is that what's been happening to our brethren? You've killed them for not siding with you?"

"I only killed the ones who said no," Uriel lowered his voice, and a cold shudder went through Castiel. His brother… was insane.

"The others…"

"The others have joined me. And there are more throughout the other garrisons. Castiel… the Apocalypse is going to happen. Join us, help us… and I'll guarantee Teddy's survival."

"And if I say no?"

"Then I take great pleasure in stripping the flesh from his-"

Uriel was cut off as Castiel flew at him, sword drawn, snarling in anger. The fight was fast and brutal, Uriel caught off guard by the anger he'd never seen Castiel display before. Within minutes, Uriel was on the ground, Castiel's sword buried in his chest.

Castiel stood over his brother, waiting to feel something. He wasn't sure what he was meant to feel – remorse, guilt, sadness – but he was pretty sure that there was meant to be something other than numbness.

Then Teddy crawled out from under the bed, from where he'd been playing hide-and-seek with Castiel before the other angel showed up, and went to pull on his father's coat.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Teddy?"

"Story?"

So Castiel picked up Teddy and sat on the bed, and started talking even as he sensed the Winchesters coming closer.

"There once was a tiger-striped cat…"


	8. Let Those Eyes Sparkle And Shine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set directly after "The Monster at the End of This Book".

"…And that one is Sirius, the Dog Star. He was so loyal as a dog, that when his master, Orion, was taken into the stars Sirius was allowed to follow him."

Castiel and Teddy were lying back on the hood of a car at Bobby's junkyard, the angel telling his son about the different constellations. It soothed them both, watching the bright pinpricks against the darkness, and of course it was time spent with just the two of them.

Well, not just the two. Bobby was watching them from his porch, talking to Dean on the phone at the same time.

"They're about giving me cavities, they're so sweet," Bobby grumbled, though without heat. Shortly after, he hung up and wandered over to where the angel had set up camp. "You're a sneaky featherduster, ain't you?" He asked once Cas had finished his latest story.

"What do you mean?" Cas responded, both him and Teddy looking up in complete innocence. It was a look Bobby had quickly become immune to, for the sake of his own sanity.

"That stunt with Lilith and the prophet. You put the idea into Dean's head."

"I merely explained the facts," Castiel's lips quirked up slightly. "What he chose to do with those facts was beyond my control."

"Sure it was," came the muttered response. The two adults kept watching each other for a moment, both well aware of the truth. Soon enough, Bobby let out a chuckle, and lifted his eyes up to the sky. "So, you gonna keep up the astronomy lesson?"

"Of course," Castiel nodded, and Bobby leaned against the side of the car as the angel picked up where he'd left off. "Scorpius was rewarded for his service by Gaia, who placed him in the sky for the animals to look up to…"

Bobby snuck a glance at the others, smiling at the sight of the stars reflected in their eyes.


	9. Never A Tear, Baby Of Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's set right at the end of 'The Rapture', assume that everything cannon happened until the warehouse.

"I serve God, not Man," Castiel ground out, "and I certainly don't serve you." He turned and started to walk away, leaving a stunned Dean standing there, looking after him.

"Daddy?"

Everyone froze. Dean suddenly cursed the fact that Teddy was so good at getting around – he'd thought the hiding spot they'd found for the kid would hold him until they came back. Now he'd have to explain to a two-year-old that his dad was an emotionless dick.

Castiel slowly turned, spotting the toddler clutching his toy wolf and looking up with wide eyes, tears starting to form. As everyone watched, his hair and eyes changed colour to match Jimmy's perfectly, making the hunters twitch.

"Daddy?" Teddy repeated, stepping forward a little, though clearly unsure of himself.

Dean watched as Castiel stared at the child, then slowly sank to his knees, holding out his arms. Tears started to fall from the angel's eyes as Teddy launched himself into his father's embrace.

"Teddy… I'm so sorry…" Castiel closed his eyes and held his son tight, the love he'd had to supress bursting back in full force. He rocked back and forth gently, sighing in relief as Teddy hugged him back. "It's okay, I'm here, don't cry…"

"Cas, what happened?" Dean finally decided it was safe to ask. The angel stayed still for a moment before raising his head, the heartbreak clear in his eyes.

"Michael's orders… I was becoming too human, I'm supposed to give him up and follow orders again… I can't…"

"How disappointing," a voice came from the shadows, and a pair of men stepped out. Both had their swords drawn, and Castiel quickly passed Teddy to Dean. "Castiel, you were to abandon the humans and follow Heaven's orders."

"No," Castiel glared, summoning his own blade. Amelia and Claire both fell back behind the Winchesters, confused but knowing that Jimmy wasn't there anymore. "The only one who can cast me out of Heaven is God, and He's not there. I know what's going on now, and I know how to protect my Grace this time."

"And he's not alone," a female voice came from behind. Castiel smiled a little as Anna came forward, her blade also drawn. "Do you think you can take on the both of us?"

"Dean," Castiel spoke without taking his eyes off the angels in front of him. "Get everyone out. This will be messy."

-BM-

Not ten minutes later, Castiel exited the warehouse and held Teddy close again. Dean looked around for Anna, concerned.

"Dude, did she…"

"She's hiding again," Castiel shook his head. "We dispatched the angels. But I am now marked for execution should they find me. I must disappear as well."

"Wait, Cas," Sam spoke up, finally regaining his courage after the blood incident. "We need your help."

"I know," Castiel frowned. "There's not much I can do to help you though. Except to tell you this: the final seal is Lilith. You cannot kill her, or the Cage will be opened. Do you understand me? You must not kill her – as long as she lives, she can destroy as many seals as she wants and she won't be able to raise Lucifer."

"You're sure?" Dean looked confused. "But the other angels–"

"Have gone insane," Castiel muttered darkly, before looking up, alarm flashing across his face. "I must go. I'll be in contact if I can."

Before the brothers could react, he was gone.

"Well…" Dean muttered, considering their options. "This blows."


	10. If They Knew Sweet Little You

"Gabriel…"

"What?"

"Did you give this to my son to play with?" Castiel held up the Archangel's blade, attempting to look patient.

"Mmmmaybe?" At the look Castiel gave him for that, Gabriel threw up his hands in a 'please don't kill me, I'm unarmed' motion and backed up a step.

"He's not even two years old!" Castiel was angry. "A sword isn't a toy – what if he'd hurt himself!"

"Then he'd have learned not to play with swords pretty quickly." Castiel stared at Gabriel, unable to believe what he'd just said. "What? There's a reason I gave the kid to you instead of raising him myself, after all."

"Gabriel, I–"

He was cut off as both angels suddenly felt it – a massive surge of power, something only rarely felt before. Briefly, while he knew that their brethren would be otherwise occupied, Gabriel opened his senses to listen to what was being said by the angels. Once he had confirmation, he closed himself off quickly and let out a groan. Castiel tilted his head a little, and Gabriel nodded.

"The Muttonhead of the Year award goes to…"

Castiel sighed, hanging his head and shaking it.

"I'm sure there's an explanation–"

"And I'm sure I don't care!" Gabriel interrupted. "Find those idiots and beat some sense into them before I have to get involved, yeah?"

Castiel nodded, then returned the blade and went to fetch Teddy. The Winchesters had, despite his advice, managed to open the Cage and set Lucifer free. They had some explaining to do.

-BM-

"She was going to kill Dean," Sam looked terrible. "I… I drained Ruby of her blood, I couldn't stop myself, and then Lilith was there with Dean, and… I killed her. I had to."

Castiel sighed, but said nothing. He'd realised the depth of feelings that ran between the brothers when he'd killed Uriel to protect Teddy. Things were going to be difficult, but they'd manage it.

"Okay, I get it," Castiel said in an attempt to calm Sam down. "Now, go over what Zachariah told you."

"He said," Dean glared at the ceiling from his prone position on the bed, "that I'm Michael's meat suit. Then he tried the inventive persuasion techniques to get me to say yes to the douche."

Castiel closed his eyes, wishing that he could bang his head against a wall without putting a hole in said wall. Maybe it would help to ease the sense of cosmic stupidity.

"Right. No wonder everyone's been watching the pair of you," Castiel decided not to try damaging himself at the moment. "And now you're in even more danger, because they won't stop coming after you. Lucifer is circling, trying to get to his vessel, and Michael's already zeroed in on you." He paused, thinking, then stepped forwards and placed a hand on Dean's chest. Before the hunters could react, he turned to Sam and did the same thing. "There, an Enochian sigil. It'll hide you from every angel in creation, including Lucifer and Michael."

"What did you do, brand us with it?" Dean was looking confused, a hand over his ribs as he felt them ache.

"No, I carved it into your ribs. More permanent."

The brothers looked at him as though he were insane for a moment, before moving on.

"Hey Cas," Sam asked, "where have you been, anyway?"

"With one of my brothers, the one who entrusted Teddy to my care. He's been hiding from the rest of our brethren for centuries, he knows how to survive in your world." A dark look crossed his face then. "But if he doesn't learn to moderate his behaviour around Teddy, he won't live much longer."

"Right," Dean took a not-so-subtle step back to hide behind Sam a little. "Uh, anyway, we kinda have a favour to ask."

"What is it you require?" Castiel asked, wary of agreeing too quickly.

"Well, it's Bobby," Dean told him, and Sam immediately looked guilty again. "A demon got into him. He managed to fight it off long enough to stab himself with Ruby's knife. Killed the demon, but he's paralysed."

"I'll see what I can do," Castiel nodded. "That blade is very powerful, I may not be able to fully repair the damage. I'll do my best though." With that, he was gone, flying to Bobby's side to see if he could heal the damage. After all, Bobby was one of three humans he counted as a friend.


	11. They'd End Up Loving You Too

Castiel ran his fingers lightly over Bobby's wound, sending out a brief pulse of Grace to test it, and frowned.

"That ain't encouraging," Bobby muttered, trying to stay still under the angel's scrutiny.

"I'm sorry," Castiel pulled back, head downcast. "It's too deep, the knife too powerful. The best I can do is restore partial movement, but you will be in pain the rest of your life."

"No," Dean shook his head from where he was standing near the door. "C'mon Cas, you can do better than that! You're an angel, for crying out loud!"

"As much as I enjoy your faith in me," Castiel sighed, "I'm not all-powerful. The only one who could…" He trailed off, mind suddenly racing. He couldn't heal Bobby, no, but maybe… "Take him home, I'll meet you there. I know someone who should be able to fix this."

With that he was gone, leaving the humans puzzled. If an angel couldn't heal Bobby, then who could?

-BM-

The Winchesters perked up at the sound of wings that signalled Castiel's return, then looked at each other in astonishment as a familiar voice started complaining, apparently continuing an argument.

"I don't wanna!"

"He's my friend, now get in there and heal him."

"No! He helped Dean kill me."

"It wasn't permanent, and I'm sure you deserved it."

With that, Castiel came into the library where Bobby was lying on the couch, dragging the Trickster behind him by the hand. Teddy was held in the Trickster's free arm, giggling away at the argument.

"Get to it," Castiel pushed the Trickster towards the prone hunter, retrieving Teddy as he did so.

"No," the Trickster pouted, folding his arms across his chest.

"Uh, Cas?" Dean asked, sure that they'd just stepped into the Twilight Zone. "Why did you bring a Trickster here?"

"Trickster?" Castiel looked confused. "He's not a Trickster. He's my older brother."

That put all of the humans further on edge. No way could he be an angel… then again, he was certainly powerful enough.

"Spoil all my fun, Cassie," Gabriel glared at his little brother, though it lacked any real heat, and turned back to the humans. "Most people, who haven't met me lately, call me Gabriel."

"Gabriel," Sam choked. "The Archangel Gabriel?"

"Yup. And apparently the only one who can keep your friend there walking. Let's get on with this, shall we?" Gabriel stepped forwards and sat on top of Bobby's legs, not paying any attention to the irritated look the old hunter sent him. "Hmm. Tricky. I can see why you got me, Cas. Is the house warded?"

"Yes," Castiel nodded. "No angel can enter without being invited in, and none can sense the use of Grace within the walls."

"Excellent. Now, this will only hurt a little." With that, Gabriel put his hand over the wound and pushed his healing Grace into it.

To Bobby's surprise, it didn't hurt at all. He felt a surge of… something go through him, and when it passed, he could feel the weight of the Archangel still sitting on his legs.

"Gerroff me," he growled, flicking his leg a little and sending Gabriel to the floor. "Damn, you work fast kid."

"I'm not a kid!" Gabriel exclaimed from his position on the floor.

"Look like one," Bobby commented. "And besides the runt, you're the shortest one here." With that, he swung his legs back over the edge of the couch and stood, proving that he did indeed have a few inches on the Archangel.

"Not my fault," Gabriel climbed up, sticking his hands in his pockets and glaring at the floor like a petulant teen. "When he was alive, my vessel was tall! People have just gotten taller since then."

"How long have you been in that vessel?" Sam asked, curious as to how it worked. Gabriel shrugged at him.

"Lost count after the first two hundred years. Gotta be nearing a thousand, at least."

That drew shocked looks again, which cheered Gabriel a bit. He liked catching them off-guard.

"Well, uh…" Sam was clearly trying to find something to say that wouldn't get him in trouble again. "Just… thanks for helping. Even though you don't like us."

"I only did it because Cas asked," Gabriel refused to meet their eyes, and Bobby got the feeling he wasn't telling the whole truth. "He's my little brother, and he knows how to push my buttons."

"Sounds familiar," Dean muttered, glancing at Sam. Gabriel caught the look and grinned at him.

"And… okay, maybe you help take care of Teddy, and the kid'd never let me forget it if I didn't help you. He's fond of you, for some reason," Gabriel looked at the child in question, who was quite happy in his position in Castiel's arms.

"Wait," Dean held up a hand, something finally clicking. "You're the one who gave Teddy to Cas in the first place, aren't you?"

"Bingo," Gabriel nodded.

"Why?"

"Because it was funny?" Gabriel tried. No one looked convinced, and he rolled his eyes. "Seriously, can you imagine me raising a kid? Kids cry, and barf, and require constant supervision… I'll stick with my dog, thanks very much. And Cas always did as I said, even if he wasn't meant to, so I knew he'd take care of it."

"Him, Gabriel," Castiel ground out. "Not it. Him."

"So you keep saying," the Archangel shrugged. "But until it shows an interest in beer and porn, I can't consider it a true male."

"Gabriel…" Cas growled, fierce enough that Sam and Dean each took a small step back. Bobby just rolled his eyes and adjusted his cap.

"…later guys!" With that, Gabriel disappeared, probably to avoid having Castiel stab him since that was never fun.


	12. All Of Those People Who Scold You

Castiel lay chest-down on the bed, head propped up on his folded arms. Teddy was sitting on his upper back, sometimes playing with his hair, but mostly the two were transfixed by the television screen.

Before leaving the hotel, Dean had put in a DVD and told Castiel not to touch anything, saying that the movie would start by itself. And it had. Castiel was a little confused at first, with the animals walking around clothed and talking like humans, but soon enough he was absorbed in the story along with Teddy.

"Daddy, what's a bla… blaggard?"

"A blackguard is a scoundrel. Someone not very nice," Castiel murmured absently.

"But… but Robin's not a scoundrel!" The young boy sounded indignant, and Castiel couldn't help but smile.

"Prince John thinks he is."

"Prince John's the blackguard."

The pair laughed at the sight of the snake with his head in a balloon, propelling himself through the air with his tail – and at the badger and rooster using a lute as a bow to shoot him down.

"No!" Teddy let out a cry as Robin was sentenced to beheading. Castiel was halfway tempted to shout at the screen himself – until the bear stepped in, threatening the lion pretending to be king. The two were then laughing again at the following battle, which was like no fight Castiel had ever seen.

When the bear started singing the lively song soon after, Castiel felt Teddy bouncing on him almost in time to the music, and he smiled again. They'd needed this, some time to forget about everything happening outside in the rest of the world – even when they'd been hiding with Gabriel, Castiel had still been trying to keep up with the fight. But he felt he could relax for a movie now.

"Daddy, what's scurvy?"

"It's a disease you get when you don't eat fresh fruit," Castiel explained. There were a lot of words that he'd needed to explain, but he figured it would be good for his son's vocabulary. "They're using it as an insult. Like when Sam says that someone's douchey."

He'd had something to say when Teddy had picked up that particular word from the Winchesters, and had managed to convince the child not to use it. It was quite difficult to keep the child's language clean, given the company they tended to keep, but he was doing his best.

Then the rooster was singing a sad song, and Teddy was lying on top of him, sniffling a little as they saw how sad all of the animals in prison were. Castiel felt some peace as he saw the good work the badger and mice were doing in the church – and growled as the badger fought the nasty wolf, trying to stand up for his belief, only to be arrested and sentenced to die as part of a trap.

"Daddy, I don't want Friar Tuck to die! Save him!" Teddy had crawled off him, so that he could get a cuddle. Castiel sat up and pulled him onto his lap.

"Let's just wait, and see what Robin Hood does." The faith Teddy had in him made Castiel feel light, even as the sadness at the movie tried to weigh him down.

They watched, and Teddy grasped onto one of Castiel's hands, squeezing tight at the suspense of the jailbreak. The pair were silent, anticipation building at the daring theft of the money, only to have the rotten snake wake up and trigger the alarm. The ensuing battle wasn't as funny as the last time, and Teddy hid his face in Castiel's shirt a few times. They couldn't tear their eyes away as the tower caught fire, and Robin jumped from the top of it, into the moat below.

"No! Nononono!" Teddy started crying when the little rabbit did, only to start laughing as Robin squirted Little John with water, emerging victorious. The laughter continued as Prince John chased Sir Hiss around, trying to beat him with a stick.

They were still smiling as Robin and Maid Marian came out of the church, married after all, and the film ended.

"Again, Daddy! Again!" Teddy demanded, but Castiel looked lost.

"I don't know how, Teddy. We'll just have to…" he paused as another bit came on, the screen saying that it was a deleted scene. Apparently there was more, so they continued to sit on the bed and watch it, then the music clips.

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Teddy?"

"I wanna learn to shoot arrows!"

"I'll teach you when you're a bit older," Castiel assured him. "You need to be stronger to shoot them properly."

"Okay. Can I learn to use a sword too?"

"If you want."

"Yay!"

It didn't occur to Castiel that promising to teach his son archery and duelling might not be a generally approved method child-raising. As far as he was aware, both Sam and Dean knew at least the basics, so therefor he'd teach his child how to fight as soon as he was strong enough, and able to tell the difference between something that should be killed, and something that should be protected.


	13. What They'd Give

Dean shivered as the angry woman – Risa – walked away. He'd freely admit that the brief meeting had left him intimidated by her. His attention was then caught by a commotion at the gates.

"Looks like they found survivors," Chuck muttered, then went forwards to help unload the large trucks. Not seeing anything better to do, Dean followed.

He saw another familiar face then, and started. Castiel was leaning against a tree, staring up at the branches. The angel was dressed in normal clothes, jeans and a t-shirt, which threw Dean for a moment. He jogged over, thinking maybe Cas would know what was going on.

"Hey, Cas," he greeted. Castiel lowered his gaze, then blinked at him, head tilting in that familiar way.

"Strange," Cas murmured, voice softer than it had been. "You… are not you. Not now you, anyway."

"Yes! No, I mean," Dean was relieved that Castiel recognised him. "I'm from the past, I guess."

"Who did this to you?" Cas let his gaze slip back to the branches. Dean looked up briefly, but couldn't see anything particularly interesting. "Was it Zachariah?"

"Yeah," Dean nodded. "So look, d'you think you could strap on your angel wings and fly me back to my page of the calendar?"

Castiel let out a laugh, deeper and richer than Dean had heard from him. It didn't quite sit right, but before he could comment, something small ran into his leg and latched on.

"Hi Uncle Dean!"

Dean looked down, and immediately recognised the small boy. It was Teddy, grinning up at him happily, hair fading from black to the same shade as Dean's was.

"Hey, Runt," Dean smiled. It was strange – all around him people were scared, upset, numb. It was the end of the world, everyone knew it. But Cas and Teddy seemed completely unaffected.

"Daddy," Teddy turned back to Cas, who was smiling down at him. "Hot chicks, second truck. Told 'em all about you."

"Excellent," Castiel pushed off from the tree and headed towards the trucks, Dean following behind, confused. When they arrived, Dean was again thrown as Cas helped two highly attractive women down, then stepped back and bowed to them. "Welcome to camp Chitaqua, ladies. My name is Cas, if there's anything I can do for you, just come find me. Day or night, I'm available to help. Just look for the cabin with the blue door."

With that, he took each woman's hand in turn and kissed their knuckles, before smiling at them. Dean was taken aback at how obviously Cas was flirting, and how the women just seemed to lap it up.

"Cas, are you being a whore again?" A British voice called out. Dean turned and looked at the man. He was a little shorter than Castiel, with scruffy black hair and bright green eyes. He moved like someone trained for battle, and his gaze was fixed on Cas, a small spark of anger in his gaze.

Instead of taking offense, Castiel just turned to the newcomer and nodded.

"Yep. Blame Teddy, he found them for me."

Teddy giggled, then ran to the man, who sighed and ruffled the child's hair.

"Must you encourage him?" He muttered, gaining a shrug and nod from Teddy. "Dean, can't you do something about him?"

"I, uh…" Dean faltered. He had no idea what was going on. Thankfully, Castiel came to the rescue.

"Don't be like that, Harry. I was just being friendly."

"Right. Friendly." Harry obviously didn't believe him. "Why do I put up with you? You'll shag anything that walks! You – mmph!" He was cut off when Castiel grabbed him by the hips and drew him forwards, kissing him.

Dean just stared in shock as Cas backed the shorter man against the truck, apparently sick of arguing. Harry let out a groan, and wrapped his arms around Castiel. It appeared that this wasn't unusual for them.

Feeling a tug at his hand, Dean looked down to see Teddy grinning at him again.

"C'mon. They'll be like that for a while. Happens whenever Dad pisses off Uncle Harry too much."

Dean was too taken aback to comment, and let the child lead him away by the hand. They walked for a while in silence.

"Dad's not an angel anymore," Teddy suddenly informed him. Dean looked down, shocked.

"What? How?"

"The other angels left. All of them, all at once. Dad's mojo slowly fizzled out, and now he's human. It's why he throws himself into fights, or loving people, or just having fun with me. He's trying to forget what he used to be."

"Right." Dean nodded. "And, uh… who's Uncle Harry?"

"He's my godfather," Teddy shrugged. "He showed up not long after the Croatoan virus was released, looking for me. Dad wasn't prepared to let me go, and he and Uncle Harry had this big argument. When I checked on them the next morning, they were naked in bed together. Since then, Uncle Harry's lived here with us."

Dean shook his head. Cas was kinda screwed up… but he seemed to still be raising Teddy just fine.

"It's nice having them both," Teddy commented. "When the other Dean sends one out on a mission, the other always goes along. So I don't have to worry, 'cause they won't let each other die or get infected."

"That's good," Dean smiled, then leaned down and scooped Teddy into his arms. Teddy giggled, and held onto him.

They eventually sat down together in the other Dean's cabin, talking about what had been happening. The future really, really sucked, and hearing it from a child made it worse in a way – but Dean couldn't get the image of Cas being happy out of his mind. In this future, Cas had a family.

He wondered if that would ever happen for real, and decided that he'd do what he could to make it happen. As soon as he got back to his own time, he'd drag Sam out of his self-imposed exile and get him back on board. The sooner they figured out how to end the Apocalypse, the sooner Cas and Teddy could have something approaching a normal life.


	14. Just For The Right To Hold You

"So how was the shopping trip?" Sam asked as Dean and Castiel entered the motel room. He'd been watching Robin Hood with Teddy while they were out, and was extremely pleased to have adults back.

"Cas made a lady at the supermarket cry," Dean informed his brother gleefully.

"What?" Sam gaped, unable to quite believe it.

"She was being stupid," Castiel growled as he started putting the things he'd bought away. He quickly picked up Teddy and gave the child a hug before replacing him in on the bed. "People like that shouldn't be allowed to breed."

-BM-

"I dunno, dude," Dean shrugged as he looked at the wall of baby food. "Can't we just give him a cheese burger?"

"No. But you are partly correct, he's mostly too old for this." Castiel turned away after grabbing a couple of jars filled with mushed-up fruit. While Teddy was eating proper food now, he still liked some of the softer things.

"Oh honey, you don't want that stuff," a woman grabbed the jar out of Castiel's hand and offered a different brand. "You should be feeding your child this – it's organic!"

Castiel blinked and looked from the new jar to the old one.

"What's the difference? They're both made from cooked apples, yes?"

"But this one's organic," the woman gushed. "It's so much better for the little ones."

"Why?" Cas tilted his head in what Dean referred to as his 'Patented Confusion Pose' – which had just gotten another head-tilt when Cas found out.

"Because it's organic."

"And what does that mean?"

"Well, you know, it's organic. It's better."

"Organic," Castiel was starting to get annoyed. "Since I'll be feeding it to my son, who happens to be a carbon-based life-form, I suppose I should be glad that this is also made from carbon-based life forms. Now what exactly is the difference between this brand and the other?"

"Well," the woman was spluttering a little at the anger from what had appeared to be a confused father. Dean could tell that Cas was slipping and some of his angelic presence was seeping out, making him seem scarier than if he were human. "Well, this one's natural, so it's better."

"Hemlock's natural as well. Would you suggest I feed that to my son?" At the woman's confused look, Castiel glared, which made the woman back up a step. "You have no idea what you're talking about! So stop trying to tell me what I should feed my son." He proceeded to shove the food she'd handed him back onto the shelf and picked up the jar he'd originally selected, moving onto the next aisle and muttering under his breath.

Dean just followed, trying not to laugh as he caught some of the mutterings – apparently the woman was lucky that Cas wasn't taking the option of 'a good old-fashioned smiting' to knock some sense into her.


End file.
